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RICKY WILSON
The New Zealand team will return to action against American Magic on Saturday in a clash at the top of the table.
Saturday’s “tricky” wind forecast will put a lot of pressure on America’s Cup Regatta Director Iain Murray, but he has come up with a compromising course that he believes will see races happen.
Auckland was calm in the morning and Murray expects a rising sea breeze delivering 9-10 knots from the north to allow him to compete in the world series regatta.
It means that you have lined up a race track that somewhat combines Course C, which has been used for the first two days, and Course B, which is just beyond the corner towards Takapuna.
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Saturday’s course will still offer an insider’s view from North Head with opportunities in areas like Narrow Neck Beach.
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“We think it will be a race-friendly wind and the outgoing current will help push the boats into the wind,” said Murray.
“But it seems like a complicated day that could depend purely on the sea breeze under construction.”
He said communication with the meteorological staff of the four teams brought up similar opinions.
Changing the course that has been used a little further north will also expose it to the winds that are channeled through the Rangitoto Canal.
COR 36 | Studio Borlenghi / Things
Iain Murray, America’s Cup Race Director.
Murray still needs to try to time the races for about 25 minutes. If the winds are light, that could reduce the races to four stages, instead of the six and eight stages that have been used for the first two days.
Saturday races will see the team at the top of the table declared the winner of the world series.
The teams then battle it out for the Christmas Cup on Sunday with the World Series seeds forming the semi-final pairings.
It has been a productive regatta for Murray and his team of officials as they lie down in their systems ahead of the Prada Cup challenge series in January and February and the America’s Cup match in March.
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The cancellation of the World Series races in Italy and Great Britain has made Auckland the first to see the radical AC75 boats in action.
Murray confirmed that some of the computer systems that transmit data to the boats have been problematic, a point raised by Luna Rossa co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill after Friday’s race.
The second of the four races was carried out “blind” without the boats receiving information.
He was confident that those problems would be solved.
As for accuracy around the 3:12 p.m. start times, that comes down to the broadcast agreement, which allows 10 minutes of prep for presenters before moving straight to the two-minute pre-kickoff that is so influential for the careers.
AMERICA CUP WORLD SERIES – SATURDAY TIMETABLE
Race 1: Luna Rossa v INEOS Team UK.
Race 2: Team New Zealand v American Magic
Race 3: American Magic v INEOS Team UK
Race 4: Team New Zealand v Luna Rossa
